Shoegal In Top 25 Shoe Blogs!

The lovely Amber has just alerted me to the fact that I have been voted into Shudoo’s Top 25 Shoe Blogs! This has made my day, especially as I have been counted among the greats of Shoewawa and Manolo. I feel so honoured and would like to thank the fabulous people at Shudoo for including me in their list.

Outfit: Peep Toe Shoes

I still don’t feel it’s warm enough yet to expose my legs, but peep toe shoes with tights is a step closer to spring dressing. Loving turquoise as an accent colour this week (possibly something to do with the new turquoise eyeshadow I bought on Thursday). And a cream shrug is far more spring-like than a black one.

Cream silk mix shrug – Long Tall Sally (eBay)
Black & cream print wrap dress – Dorothy Perkins Tall
Black tights – Silkies
Turquoise cami – Dorothy Perkins Tall
Turquoise shoes – New Look (charity shop)
Turquoise necklace – Dorothy Perkins

Total Est. Cost £49.50

Outfit: Choir Practice

I think it is time to retire my polo neck sweaters for the spring (well, perhaps not the black one if it gets cold again). I just felt wrong in the sweater I had on yesterday and with temperature set to reach the giddy heights of 17 degrees later this week (if weather.com is to be believed anyway), then the time is right.
With that in mind, I set about improving the outfit ready for choir practice. I still needed a sweater of some description as the church was unlikely to be very warm but I feel a cardi is less wintery than an actual sweater so that’s what I went for. Also, I realised I didn’t have a picture of the shoes I had on yesterday so that is now rectified.

Black cardi – New Look Tall
Brown long sleeve t – Tall Girls
Jeans – River Island
Turquoise belt (on jeans) – H&M
Beige flats – Evans
Brown & silver scarf – mall market stall

Total Est. Cost £91

This Week I Will Be Mostly…

…wearing my leather jacket and brown & silver scarf
…reading the April issue of US Cosmopolitan magazine
…watching The Flying Doctors on DVD when it arrives from Play.com
…listening to The Proclaimers
…eating vegetables
…shopping for nothing (no, really)

Outfit: Lazy Monday

I knew I would not want to get up this morning, with the time change affecting me the way it did last year. Plus it was light when I got up last week, now it is not quite light again. Hopefully that will only last a week or so. However, it was lovely having sunshine until past 7 o’clock yesterday evening. Anyway, I knew I would be reluctant to get up so would want something easy (and warm) to throw on. When I looked at the first picture though, I decided I don’t like the outfit all that much so I took off the sweater and left my scarf on at work.

Brown polo neck sweater – Long Tall Sally
Brown cord trousers – Tall Girls
Brown long sleeve t – Tall Girls
Brown & silver scarf – mall market stall
Beige flats – Evans

Total Est. Cost £75

Outfit: Sunday Rehearsal

I have a rehearsal for the show this afternoon so it’s just a casual outfit for some singing and dancing. I think this will pretty much be my spring.summer uniform this year – a logo tee with jeans and a cardi, boots or flats, and my leather jacket over the top until the weather warms up a little. It’s lovely and sunny today though, and the clocks changed in the UK this morning so we will have an extra hour of daylight this evening.

Black cardi – New Look Tall
Black ‘High Maintenance’ t – Tall Girls
Jeans – River Island
Silver flats – Faith
Turquoise leather belt – H&M
Turquoise necklace – Dorothy Perkins
Sunglasses – Boots

Total Est. Cost £123

Free Nail Polish at Boots

Boots have an offer on at the moment where you get a free 17 nail polish when you buy anything from the 17 cosmetics range.

Online Shopping: New Look

First thing yesterday morning I was online to take advantage of the 20% discount code at New Look. These goodies should be winging their way to me early next week.

New Shoes

I have a friend at work, C, who is a bad influence on me, persuading me to visit our local Matalan store on Friday lunchtimes. I had been eyeing up these shoes for a while and when I saw they had been reduced to £6, I had to get them.

Outfit: Saturday

The young man and I headed over to visit my parents as my dad’s lawn mower was broken and he wanted the young man to take a look at it and hopefully fix it (he was able to fix it). Then we picked my friend up from the station and my sister came over for a girls’ night in. The young man went out with two of his friends for a posh meal. I am loving the combination of red and turquoise right now.

Red cardi – Long Tall Sally (eBay)
Grey stripe top – Dorothy Perkins Tall
Jeans – River Island
Red patent flats – Dorothy Perkins
Turquoise necklace – Dorothy Perkins
Turquoise bangles – Oxfam

Total Est. Cost £74

A Question…

…to all you US ladies out there: Traditionally, you’re not supposed to wear white after Labor Day, but when is it OK to start wearing it again (sometime in the spring, presumably)?

Dorothy Perkins: 20% Off Everything Online!

No sooner had I written the post below, extolling the virtues of Dorothy Perkins’ online service, I checked my email and saw that they have 20% off online from today until Sunday 5th April.

EDIT: Having investigated further, it seems you need an invitation email to claim the discount. If you would like a copy, email me on the address at the side and I'll forward it on to you.

Outfit: Casual Friday

It’s the first outing for my new Betty Boop t shirt which arrived yesterday. Dorothy Perkins online have great service, online tracking, and they sent me a code for free delivery on my next order, so I will definitely be shopping with them again. My local store is great but not huge, so they don’t always have everything in stock. The t is not from the Tall range, but look how long it is!
We are heading to the young man’s parents’ for tea so I will just keep this on this evening too. I added my red beads after the picture was taken, and I currently have my brown & silver scarf on as someone left the air conditioning on last night and so the office was nice & chilly this morning. I would have put my red flats with this ordinarily, but it is blowing a gale outside and the forecast is for sleet & snow showers, so boots were definitely the way to go.

Black cardi – New Look Tall
Black Betty Boop t – Dorothy Perkins
Jeans – River Island
Brown cowboy boots – New Look

Total Est. Cost £104

Outfit: New Scarf

I went to the Mall last night to buy hair (it’s for the show, I need curls and my hair doesn’t curl, so good old Claire’s accessories came to the rescue with a curl ponytail hair piece). I’ve been looking for a spring/summer scarf for a while but not found one I liked in terms of chunkyness or design. I spotted a stall in the middle of the mall (they have market type stalls all the way along the centre of the main walkway) selling scarves so had a look and bought this rather fab silver and brown one for £6.95. Something similar would have been £10 in a shop. I wore it for choir practice at church last night.

(When I edited the picture I realised that the scarf hasn't come out so well - I'll post a better shot later on.)

Brown leather jacket – New Look Tall
Brown & silver scarf – mall market stall
Jeans – Tall Girls
Turquoise boots – Splash! (eBay)

Total Est. Cost £94

Review: Freedom From Eye Floaters e-Book

I have talked quite a lot lately about eyes and eye sight on this blog, what with getting contact lenses and my new glasses. So when I was asked review an e-book about eye floaters, I thought it would fit in quite nicely with the recent discussions.

Sam Rogers began to suffer from eye floaters when he was around age 30. He consulted various optometrists and was told that same thing: the floaters were generally harmless and there was nothing that could be done about them. There is no official cure. One day he says he “stumbled upon the TRUE secret” whilst travelling abroad, and since then has not been troubled by eye floaters. He has now put pen to paper and revealed his secret in an e-book.

I have read the book and I would say that it is not particularly well written. The grammar is quite poor in places and I find that rather irritating and unnecessary, especially in something I am supposed to have paid for. Paid $29.95 for at that. That’s £20.65 for a 35 page book. Not the best value for money.

The book provides a general description and discussion about eye floaters. Much of the same information is on the eye floaters information website or could easily be found elsewhere on the internet with a simple Google search.

Eye floaters generally harmless, though you should consult and optician if the problem develops for the first time, or an existing problem worsens. However, I could be wrong. I see floaters in front of my eyes, I have done for many years, since I was around 11 years old (which incidentally coincides with the worsening of my short sight or myopia) but as I do not suffer from a persistent condition ie. the floaters do not bother me in the slightest. Perhaps $29.95 is a small price to pay if you are plagued by eye floaters to the point that they drive you to distraction.

Payment of the $29.95 is by Paypal if you do want to buy the book, and it can be ordered here.

Outfit: Neglected Jeans

I love these jeans, but I don’t wear them very often. The trouble is that I think they are longer than they actually are, so I am afraid to wear them with anything less than sky-high heels, for fear that they will drag on the ground and fray at the back. I also see them as ‘best’ jeans as they are so smart, but then I don’t wear them for ‘best’ occasions. They fit really well so I am going to make the effort to wear them more often.

These boots are new – bought in the Barratts sale when I was shopping with my friend about a month back.

Black jacket – Long Tall Sally
Grey check shirt – New Look Tall
Black belt – with shirt
Grey tank – Cherokee at Tesco
Jeans – Tall Girls
Black patent boots – Barratts
Turquoise flower – Primark
Turquoise necklace – Dorothy Perkins

Total Est. Cost £146

Outfit: New Glasses!

I got a call yesterday afternoon to say that my new glasses were ready so I went to collect them on my way home. I decided to keep them on last night and received positive comments from my friends at the theatre group. No outfit picture other than the head and shoulders shot as it was just jeans, and the t shirt and cardi you can see here. I put my dancing shoes on once I got to rehearsal, and wore my yellow flats to get there. I have taken my white dancing shoes to the cobbler to have rubber put on the heels so I don’t slip on stage, so it was back to the black ones last night.

Glasses – George at ASDA
Yellow shoes – Cherokee at Tesco
Black shoes – So Danca (Planet Dance)
Red cardi – Long Tall Sally (eBay)
Mickey Mouse t – Topshop Tall (eBay)

New T Shirt – Betty Boop!

I am so into logo t shirts at the moment, and fortunately they are everywhere in the shops. I have been admiring this one in Dorothy Perkins for some weeks now. Although it is not from the Tall section it looks like it is a good length. I went to my local store yesterday afternoon with every intention of buying it, but alas, they didn’t have it. So I ordered it online in the evening. As the difference in shipping cost was only £1, I opted for the express service and so it should be with me tomorrow. I had a sweatshirt as a child that featured Betty Boop and wore it to death. I don’t know why she has had such a resurgence in popularity of late, but I have seen her featured on tops in George (ASDA), Matalan and New Look as well. I have just looked her up on Wikipedia and it turns out she is a grand dame – she dates back to the 1930s. I never realised this but she made a cameo appearance in the part-animated film ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit?’. Just this year she was voted second sexiest cartoon character (or ‘secind most-sexiest’, as it says on Wikipedia), with Jessica Rabbit in first place.

Outfit: Still Winter

I’ve been cold the past too days so it’s time to stop pretending that it’s spring and face the fact that winter is still with us. Difficult when it’s so sunny that you need your sunglasses on to drive to work, but the air temperature is certainly convincingly cold.

Black polo neck sweater – Long Tall Sally
Purple tank – Long Tall Sally
Black cord trousers – Topshop Tall
Purple belt – Ethel Austin
Purple booties – Priceless Shoes

Total Est. Cost £92

20% Off at New Look

This code is only active for the weekend – 28th & 29th March. Enter MOSTWANTED20 to save 20% on full price items at New Look.

Review: Pinhole Glasses

We all made pinhole cameras as a child didn’t we? Taking a piece of card and making a pinhole in it to use as a focus. Well this basic principle has been used to design pinhole glasses and improve your eyesight. Pinhole technology dates back to the 5th century and has been used for many years as a means of improving eyesight. Pinhole glasses for public use were pioneered in the mid 20th century.

Pinhole glasses are not something I had ever come across before, but they are being marketed as an affordable alternative to prescription eyeglasses. At $14.99 a pair, they are certainly affordable. According to the pinhole glasses website, this product can help you whether you suffer from myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia, astigmatism, computer vision syndrome or cataracts. If you are as blind as I am they will not be a lot of use (they are not recommended for prescriptions for short sight of more than minus 6, I am minus 10), but in minor conditions I can see how the basic pinhole principles could help. The pinholes direct very narrow beams of light into the eye, reducing blur and improving clarity. Pinhole eyeglasses are recommended for use during activities such as reading, computer use, and watching television. They are not to be used whilst driving however (they limit peripheral vision), and for that reason, they cannot be a true alternative to prescription glasses if you require sight correction to enable you to drive. The glasses are available in a range of styles, two of which are pictured.

If you wish to try out the glasses, they can be ordered online for $14.99. The site ships internationally for a flat rate of $4.99 and all orders are aimed to be despatched within 48 hours.

Outfit: Sunny Tuesday

It is lovely and sunny again, although not very warm! My legs were aching yesterday; I think it must have been from the dancing on Sunday. When I got home I just wanted to warm and comfy (I felt cold much of yesterday) and consequently my outfit for choir practice was nothing special, just the old favourite of black polo neck, jeans and EMU boots. I put my leather jacket on top of it and a furry blue scarf.

I was going to wear a red belt and black tights with this dress today, but it would have been the same red belt as yesterday and I fancied a change so went with the purple instead.

Black & cream print wrap dress – Dorothy Perkins Tall
Black shirt – Lee Jeans (Luxuriously Tall)
Purple tights – Accessorize
Yellow wedges – Priceless Shoes
Purple belt – Ethel Austin
Purple necklace – Scope

Total Est. Cost £54

Forced to Buy Shoes

Oh the hardship! I know. We were told on Sunday that we need some flat white shoes for the second half of the show (when we will all be wearing very attractive Victorian nightgowns). So I’ve just ordered these for £8 from Priceless Shoes.

Tall Tip

Look for shirts that have turn back cuffs. When they are unfolded they will give you that bit extra length in the sleeve.

This Week I Will Be Mostly…

…wearing my LTS red cardi, probably
…reading the April issue of Elle magazine
…watching X Files Season 2
…listening to the mix CD that’s in my car
…eating vegetables
…shopping for nothing

Outfit: Monday

I am thinking of chopping the top off this dress to make a skirt. I like denim skirts but I always find that the zip bulges out in a strange way. As this dress is buttoned, I think it would make a flatter skirt. I haven’t worn it for ages and I think I’ve only ever worn it 3 or 4 times as it is.

It is very windy outside today and the sun seems to have gone back into hiding (I think we’ve skipped summer and gone straight back to autumn) so it’s back to the black tights.

Red cardi – Long Tall Sally (eBay)
Denim dress – Miss Selfridge
Black tights - Silkies
Red boots – Goszip (charity shop)
Red belt – market stall

Total Est. Cost £53

Outfit: Busy Sunday

Yesterday was so busy I didn’t even have time to post! I got up and went to church whilst the young man drove off to Lincoln to collect a trials bike he had bought on eBay. I came home at dinnertime and cleaned the bathroom, collected the dry washing off the line and ate. In the afternoon I had a rehearsal for the show (we have them every Sunday afternoon from now until show week). I got home just after five and we had a quick tea before heading out to visit the young man’s parents and then on to his aunt’s house. I’ve come back to work for a rest today!

The first outfit was for church, the second one for the rehearsal – I needed shorter jeans and a longer top for dancing. After tea I changed my top back to the white v neck and waistcoat but kept the second pair of jeans and cowboy boots on as they were comfy.

Black waistcoat – Next Tall
White long sleeve t – Tall Girls
Jeans – Tall Girls
Turquoise leather belt (on jeans) – H&M
Turquoise boots – Splash! (eBay)
Turquoise necklace – Dorothy Perkins
Turquoise bangles – Oxfam

Total Est. Cost £98

Grey cardi – New Look Tall
White ‘shoe slave’ t – Marks & Spencer (black sleeves & bottom added by me)
Jeans – River Island
Brown cowboy boots – New Look

Total Est. Cost £91

Outfit: First Day of Spring

Yes, I know that the first day of spring may have been yesterday, but I have always believed that it was today, the Spring Equinox. However, as the weather has been gloriously sunny all week, it’s all rather by the by anyway.

I am headed out to my sister’s house first up, then we are going to our hometown for a wander around and then to my parents’ for dinner. It is Mothering Sunday in the UK tomorrow so we have gifts and cards to drop off.

Although the sunshine is fabulous, it is still not that warm (but we have been promised the giddy heights of 14˚C today) so I am layered up, in case I feel warmer later.

Red cardi – Long Tall Sally (eBay)
Blue & red t – Topshop Tall (eBay)
Jeans – River Island
Brown cowboy boots – New Look
Brown leather jacket – New Look Tall
Blue silk scarf – Accessorize
Red beads – eBay
Sunglasses – Boots

Total Est. Cost £125

Outfit: Opimistic Friday

When I was taking pictures at 6.30am, the sunglasses seemed a little optimistic given that it was 3˚C and cloudy. However, I have been promised sunshine for later on by two BBC weather reporters and who am I to question that? I briefly considered wearing my turquoise peeptoe shoes but it’s still far too chilly on a morning for bare feet just yet.
Anyway, it’s Friday! Woo hoo! Friday is Sandwich Day in my office – we all get hot sandwiches delivered around 10am. Mine is always a bacon and sausage. Consequently, I don’t eat as much breakfast on a Friday and have more time for playing around with the pictures so that is why you have 3 today.
Oh and this cardi? Totally my favourite item of clothing right now.

Red cardi – Long Tall Sally (eBay)
White ‘Yes, I’m very tall’ t – Café Press
Boyfit jeans – River Island
Red patent flats – Dorothy Perkins
Turquoise bead necklace – gifted
Turquoise earrings – gifted
Turquoise bangles – Oxfam

Total Est. Cost £86

Review: Fit Flops

Well girls, summer is coming and if you feel like your legs could do with a tone up before you bare them in this season’s mini skirts or shorts, then Fit Flops could be for you. I was lucky enough to be sent a pair by Fitness Footwear to test out. I chose the Walk Star style in Navy, as pictured. They are not particularly attractive to look at, but they are a fitness shoe and let’s face it, trainers are not exactly stylish, are they? I would be quite happy to wear these out and about in the summer however, and they are definitely fine under jeans.

The Fit Flops come with a warning tag attached that states they should not be used for too long at first, and to build up use progressively to avoid muscle soreness. The idea is that they mimic walking in barefoot, but with an added challenge, encourage better posture and improve muscle tone. I was interested to see how they would work so I put them on and went for a walk around my neighbourhood. The Fit Flops rubbed my foot and made it bleed. Luckily, good old Dr Scholl was able to come to the rescue with his fabulous gel pads and sticking these around solved the problem instantly. I will definitely be wearing them all summer and hopefully seeing some improvement in the muscle tone of my legs.

Four styles of Fit Flop are available, including the sequined Electra style (in a choice of 3 colours) which sold out last summer. Prices start from £35.45 and don’t forget that there is free UK delivery on everything at Fitness Footwear.

Outfit: Equally Blue Thursday

So, partly out of laziness and partly because I like blue, I have carried it over to today. I wanted to pair leopard print with something other than red and I saw a girl putting it with bright blue the other day which seemed a good idea to me. I think next time I would put a white top under this sweater, but I wanted to wear something other than white for a change.

Blue sweater – Dorothy Perkins Tall
Blue cami – Marks & Spencer
Jeans – Dorothy Perkins Tall
Blue silk scarf – Florence + Fred at Tesco
Leopard print shoes – New Look (eBay)
Blue bangles – Oxfam

Total Est. Cost £54.50

Outfit: Blue Wednesday Continued

I stuck with the blue theme for rehearsal last night. There was plenty of singing and dancing happening, and I tried out my white dancing shoes for the first time as that’s what I’ll be wearing for the actual show. We were given one of our costumes too – a Victorian nightgown with matching cloth cap – very fetching.

Blue cardi – Ethel Austin
Blue tank – Topshop
Jeans – River Island
Blue patent shoes – New Look
Blue bangles – Oxfam
Blue silk scarf – Florence + Fred at Tesco

Total Est. Cost £58.50

White shoes – Priceless Shoes (£9)

Tall Tip

On the sale rail (or in a charity shop) look for trousers that are dragging on the floor as chances are they will be the super long ones mixed in with the ordinary length ones.

Outfit: Blue Wednesday

It’s lovely and sunny and springlike again today, and the forecast is pretty similar for the rest of the week.
My eye appointment went well yesterday and the optician has ordered a 3 month supply of lenses for me. I also ordered some new glasses, just for a change of look really, and I think I will be able to keep wearing my current pair too as the prescription is not all that different.

Blue shrug – Dorothy Perkins
Navy blue dress – Next
Blue tank – Topshop
Blue Obi belt – ASOS
Blue patent shoes – New Look
Blue silk scarf – Florence + Fred at Tesco

Total Est. Cost £57.50

Outfit: Red Dress

Continuing with my spring brights theme, I went for a bold red dress today. I love this dress, even though it took absolutely ages to be shipped over from America. I have an eye appointment this afternoon to check how my contact lenses are doing. It’s not sunny out today as yet, but I’m hoping it will brighten up later on. Despite that, I’m wearing nude tights for the first time this year.

Red dress – Luxuriously Tall
White cami – Dorothy Perkins Tall
Tan Obi belt – ASOS
Leopard print shoes – New Look (eBay)
Leopard print scarf – Ethel Austin

Total Est. Cost £36.50

Nailene Tip Whitener – The Lazy Girl’s French Manicure

I was in Boots on Saturday (yes, I spend a lot of time in there, what of it?) and was looking at the nail products. I spotted a the Nailene Tip Whitener Pen and thought I would try it, as I have always loved the look of a French manicure but have not done one since my white polish dried up some years ago. You can either buy the full kit for about £8.50 (as pictured) or just the pen which I think was £4.40. I just got the pen as I have a couple of pale shades of polish that would work fine over the top. I also bought some nail guide (£2.95) and I’m glad I did as it wasn’t as easy as the packet makes out! I tried it out yesterday and the results were pretty good. Any mistakes with the white pen can easily be corrected with a cotton bud dipped in nail polish remover, and the white dries quickly allowing a top coat to be applied soon after. The pen is definitely easier to use on your nail tips than a white polish, and the finish is pearlescent which makes it less of a bright white if you just want to put a clear top coat over the top, something I will try next time I use it I think.

Review: No7 Eye Make Up Remover

I usually use Boots Cucumber Facial Wipes to remove my eye make up (I have to take off my eye make up before removing my contact lenses) and these work fine. But sometimes, especially when I’ve used eyeshadow primer, I need something stronger to remove the make up so I don’t have have to press too hard on my eyes to get the make up off. I was in Boots with my sister last weekend and she was looking for eye make up remover (for the exact same reason, she has recently got contact lenses too!) and as she had a £5 No7 voucher she decided to go for one in that range. I also had a voucher so thought I might as well try it out for £1.90 (regular price £6.90). Well, it’s fantastic. You just squirt it onto a cotton wool pad and your eye make up wipes right off. Love it!

This Week I Will Be Mostly…

…wearing lighter clothes and jackets whilst enjoying the sunshine
…reading the April issue of Company magazine
…watching X Files Season 2 (at last!)
…listening to the Carpenters – the young man heard ‘Top of the World’ on the radio on Friday morning and keeps playing it on my CD
…eating custard
…shopping for a card for Mother’s Day

Outfit: Spring Colour

It is possible that spring may finally have sprung in the Frozen North. Yesterday was beautifully sunny. We walked up to visit a friend in the next village, and then met up with two more friends to walk to a nearby pub. We had some food there and drink, and then returned to the friend’s house to play on his Wii before walking home. Even after dark it wasn’t really cold. I did end up changing my shoes and put on my cowboy boots as they are easier to walk in. I wore my sunglasses for the walk up there, then spent the rest of the day with them on my head as a hairband – mostly because I can now that I have contact lenses.

Today has dawned sunny and bright again and with this in mind, I laid out a colourful outfit last night. I was hoping to get away without my coat today, but it’s still quite chilly in the mornings – just 6˚C this morning.

Pink jacket – Long Tall Sally (eBay)
Pink faux wrap top – Long Tall Sally (eBay)
White tank – Dorothy Perkins
Teal skirt – H&M
Teal tights – Accessorize
Pink shoes – Faith
Pink flower – Primark

Total Est. Cost £83

Outfit: Sunday

We got up and cooked a full breakfast this morning. It’s been ages since we’ve done that. The young man is now pottering in the garden and I have painted my nails and mended a tear in his jacket. It’s a lovely day so I think we are going to head out for a walk shortly. I may change my footwear, depending on where we are going. And I will definitely add my sunglasses.

Red cardi – Long Tall Sally (eBay)
White ‘Tall?’ cami – Café Press
Jeans – River Island
Leopard print flats – Priceless Shoes (eBay)
Yellow belt – charity shop

Total Est. Cost £67.50

Outfit: Style Stealer

I have once again been inspired by the fabulous Jessica for my outfit today. Sadly it is not as warm here as it looks to have been in NYC earlier this week so I have had to substitute in a long sleeve t so I don’t freeze to death. It’s also not that sunny but I’ve taken the opportunity to show off my fab new sunglasses anyway.

Teal long sleeve t – H&M
Jeans – Topshop Tall
Silver flats – Faith
Brown silk scarf – M&Co
Teal bangles – Accessorize
Teal earrings – Primark
Sunglasses – Boots

Total Est. Cost £65

Tall Tip

Dorothy Perkins have some great longer length t shirts in their ordinary range at the moment. All sorts of colours and styles, and they are on 2 for £12.

Outfit: Casual Friday

I was going to wear flats with this outfit but at the last minute plumped for heels to amp up the look a bit. The sun is shining and ¾ length sleeves make me feel like it’s spring (which I suppose, technically, it is). And it’s lovely to be able to wear shoes rather than boots now too.
Yes I know what I said about not wearing my contact lenses for work, but it’s now a vanity thing – I like myself better without glasses now.

Blue cardi – Ethel Austin
Blue/green/white check shirt – Primark
Blue tank – Dorothy Perkins
Boyfit jeans – River Island
Blue patent shoes – New Look
Blue bangles – Oxfam

Total Est. Cost £72

Outfit: Smart Casual

I’m bending the rules by wearing jeans on a Thursday again. I was going to put my purple booties with this outfit, but changed my mind and added the yellow wedges as an unexpected second colour pop. I think yellow is a very sping-like colour, even though I don’t wear it very often. I remember as a child my sister’s favourite colour was yellow – we had these anoraks from Mothercare that matched – hers was yellow, mine was red. I was dressed in red a lot as a child. My mother and grandmother thought it suited me as I have dark hair.

Purple tank – Long Tall Sally
Grey check shirt – New Look Tall
Jeans – Dorothy Perkins Tall
Purple belt – Ethel Austin
Yellow wedges – Priceless Shoes
Purple necklace – Scope

Total Est. Cost £66

Outfit: Dance Practice

Another Wednesday, another dance rehearsal for the musical theatre group. I added the scarf as my top was a little low; however I got warm pretty quickly and so shed the scarf after less than an hour. I am enjoying the dancing despite being fairly unco-ordinated with the steps – I know what I’m supposed to be doing, even if my feet aren’t always moving in exactly the right direction all the time!

Red cardi – Long Tall Sally (eBay)
Blue t – Dorothy Perkins
Jeans – River Island
Red patent flats – Dorothy Perkins
Turquoise necklace – Dorothy Perkins
Turquoise bangles – Oxfam

Blue silk scarf - Accessorize

Total Est. Cost £69

Hmm…

Sometimes I just don’t understand how a fashion editor’s mind works when planning magazine spreads. I was reading the March issue of US Cosmopolitan magazine and one of the fashion pages had me baffled. It showed an outfit to build around a pair of denim hotpants that included a suede jacket and a scarf. Now, call me cynical, but I would wager that if it’s chilly enough to need a suede jacket AND a scarf, it’s probably too chilly for denim hotpants, wouldn’t you say?

Outfit: Black & Brown

I miss being able to wear jeans all week for work. I loved it when I had that option at the other office. The closest thing I can get to jeans now is these cord trousers which are just so comfy and I love them. I love mixing black and brown at the moment but I wanted to add a bit of colour too, so I have done so quite subtly with turquoise earrings, bangles and eyeliner!

Black polo neck sweater – Long Tall Sally
Brown cord trousers – Tall Girls
Leopard print flats – Priceless Shoes (eBay)
Turquoise bangles – Oxfam
Turquoise earrings – gifted

Total Est. Cost £60

Outfit: Green

I’ve not worn this dress in a while so decided to give it another airing with a polo neck. I think it will work OK without one too, if it ever gets warm enough. I’m wearing about four shades of green today, not normally a colour I would wear all over.

Green & lilac dress – Long Tall Sally (eBay)
Grey polo neck sweater – Long Tall Sally
Green tights – Topshop (gifted)
Green suede boots – River Island
Green necklace – Primark

Total Est. Cost £48.50

Outfit: New Jacket!

I was excited to wear my new leather jacket last night, even if it wasn’t really warm enough for it. I layered a couple of sweaters underneath it and fortunately the heating was on in the church where choir practice is held so all was good.

Brown cord cap – Matalan
Brown leather jacket – New Look Tall
Brown polo neck sweater – Long Tall Sally
Jeans – Next (charity shop)
Brown boots – Nine West (Allders)
Blue bead – Scope
Brown silk scarf – M&Co

Total Est. Cost £109

Paring Down My Wardrobe – Part 2

A while back I posted about how, come Easter, I would be getting rid of anything I hadn’t worn.
Well, I’ve had another idea, one that can be put into effect immediately. Anything that doesn’t make me feel fantastic whilst I’m wearing it will also go. And I’ll be starting with today’s dress. I’m just not feeling it anymore so back to the charity shop it will go. I know the young man will be pleased – he hates most of my dresses, especially the patterned ones.

This Week I Will Be Mostly…

…wearing something colourful in a bid to pretend it’s spring, even though it’s still freezing cold
…reading the April issue of UK Cosmopolitan
…watching the last few episodes of X Files Season 1, I hope
…listening to the Pretty Woman soundtrack (my sister said she heard King of Wishful Thinking on the radio twice yesterday and it reminded me what a great soundtrack this is)
…eating M&Ms
…shopping for nothing (honestly!)

Outfit: Sleepy Monday

I didn’t get to sleep until late last night so I didn’t really want to get up this morning. I had tried to plan an outfit with a bit of colour, and I was going to wear shoes to make it more spring-like, but this morning it was blowing a gale and pouring with rain making boots the only option.

Brown/teal dress – Next (charity shop)
Brown polo neck sweater – Long Tall Sally
Teal tights – Primark
Brown boots – Nine West (Allders)

Total Est. Cost £76

Shopping Bargain

I went into New Look this afternoon to try on a leather jacket I have been eyeing up in the Tall section for a while. I decided I would get it and took it to the till. There was some scuffing on the back (which will totally polish out) so I asked for a discount as it was the last one on the rail. The assistant agreed to 10% off. The price tag said £50 but when she rang it up it was only £30 (I love when that happens!). And with the 10% it went down to £27. Did I mention it is real leather? So all in all, a total bargain!

Outfit: Sunday Afternoon Shopping

I headed into the city this afternoon to meet my sister for a little shopping and for a coffee and cake. We had a lovely time and ended up eating chocolate croissants in Pret A Manger to dodge the hailstorm.

This red cardi is already one of my favourite items and I can see it being worn fairly frequently this spring as an alternative to black or grey.

Red cardi – Long Tall Sally (eBay)
Blue ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’ t – Topshop Tall (eBay)
Jeans – River Island
Cowboy boots – New Look
Red beads – eBay

Total Est. Cost £85

Outfit: Church

The choir was singing an anthem at church this morning so I had to look presentable. It was the anniversary of when the Methodists merged with the United Reform Church to form the church I go to now.

Black cardi – New Look Tall
Black & white houndstooth top – Dorothy Perkins Tall
Jeans – Dorothy Perkins Tall
Black faux suede boots – Priceless Shoes
Red ribbon belt – Duttons For Buttons haberdashery
Red beads – eBay

Total Est. Cost £59

Outfit: Church Social

I had a quiet day around the house yesterday, just in my scruffy jeans and baggy cardi. The young man is not well and I was just catching up on the usual chores – cleaning the bathroom, doing some laundry etc. In the evening there was a Beetle Drive at church and I had not been to one of those for years. We used to have them quite regularly at my old church when I was a child, and every year on holiday there would be one – usually Bag Beetle (where the winner and loser on each table would exchange an item from each other’s bags before moving on. The greatest challenge about that would be finding items worth 20p or less to put in your bag in the days preceding.

Teal shrug – Ann Taylor Loft (charity shop)
White ‘Tall?’ cami – Café Press
Grey jeans – Gap
Teal boots – Faith
Teal scarf – Marks and Spencer

Total Est. Cost £68

Review: Fitness Footwear

As much as I love my high heeled shoes and boots, there are times when that style of footwear just won’t cut it. Like a Sunday afternoon walk with the young man for example. I have many pairs of flat shoes and boots, but nothing designed specifically for walking. So when Fitness Footwear contacted me to ask whether I’d like to try out something from their range, I jumped at the chance. I chose the Merrell Oslo boot (pictured) which are perfect for long wintery walks in the countryside. The boots are made from waterproof leather lined with faux fur to keep your feet lovely and cosy. They have a Dual Density Compression Molded EVA Footbed with In-Board EVA Wedge and Integrated Air Cushion® which makes them supremely comfortable, and a Merrell Winter Artrek™ Sole providing a good grip when it is wet.

Fitness Footwear stocks the full range of Merrell Shoes, which includes everything from walking flip flops, to trainer-style shoes, to walking boots, and even My First Merrells (in pink or blue) for children. They also stock many other popular brands of sports and leisure footwear, such as Catepillar, Hi Tec, EMU, Ecko, Timberland, Sketchers and Birkenstock.

Fitness Footwear offers free delivery on all UK orders and aim to dispatch your goods within 5-7 working days. All goods require a signature and an online tracking facility is available on the website for you to view the status of your order. A range of credit and debit cards are accepted and payment is also possible via Paypal.

Outfit: Casual Friday

I won this t shirt on eBay the other week and when I saw the red cardi I had to bid on it as I knew it would go perfectly with the top. I am trying to pretend it is spring today by wearing bright colours, despite the sub-zero temperatures and the fact that I had to scrape frost off my car this morning. It is another sunny day though and I drove to work wearing my sunglasses.

Red cardi – Long Tall Sally (eBay)
Mickey Mouse t – Topshop Tall (eBay)
Jeans – River Island
Yellow belt – Charity shop
Yellow shoes – Cherokee at Tesco
Red beads – eBay

Total Est. Cost £72.50

Outfit: Confessions Of A Shopaholic

I met my sister at the cinema last night and we saw the new ‘Confessions of a Shopaholic’ movie. I loved the books (I own all five) so it was strange to see the characters with the same names and an altered storyline. The film was funny and Rebecca Bloomwood (Isla Fisher – who else remembers her in Home & Away?) has some fabulous outfits thanks to one Patricia Field. I think if you judge it on its own merits as a standalone piece, and forget about the books, it is a great movie.

I ended up leaving on my silk scarf (not pictured) as it was pretty chilly in the cinema.

Brown cardi – Luxuriously Tall
Brown long sleeve t – Tall Girls
Jeans – Dorothy Perkins Tall
Turquoise boots – Splash! (eBay)
Turquoise necklace – Dorothy Perkins
Turquoise bangles – Oxfam

Total Est. Cost £73

Outfit: Black & Brown

It was almost spring yesterday morning. The sun was shining; the crocuses & snow drops are out in the park. Then I drove home in a snowstorm.
I love mixing black and brown or tan. I added the necklace and bangles for a flash of colour, and also so I could put on turquoise eyeliner.

Black wrap dress – Luxuriously Tall
Brown long sleeve t – Tall Girls
Tan Obi belt – ASOS
Tan boots – Faith
Black tights – Morrison’s
Turquoise necklace – Dorothy Perkins
Turquoise & silver bangles – Oxfam

Total Est. Cost £100

Outfit: Pub

I waited until I got home last night to take a picture so that my hair would look great after I got it cut. After my hair appointment I rushed down to the local Wetherspoon’s to meet the drama group for tea. As the ladies didn’t have a rehearsal last night we were free to linger and ended up staying out til around 9.30pm drinking tea and hot chocolate.

I am totally loving this cardigan by the way. I got it on eBay last week for the bargain price of £7 and I can see myself getting a lot of wear out of it.

Red cardi – Long Tall Sally (eBay)
White long sleeve t – Tall Girls
Jeans – River Island
Leopard print flats – Priceless Shoes (eBay)

Total Est. Cost £63

Outfit: Tricolore

Hands up who else is bored of the cold weather now? It’s March, I’m ready for spring. My inspiration today comes from the fabulous Jessica of What I Wore. I saw her navy & red ensemble last week and thought ‘I could do that’ with my new red cardi that arrived from eBay on Thursday. I will be changing when I get home as I am headed for a hair cut (at last!) and then out for tea at the pub with the gang from the drama group. We have no rehearsal tonight (well, the ladies don’t) so it should be a nice relaxing evening and then home early.

Red cardi – Long Tall Sally (eBay)
White long sleeve t – Tall Girls
Navy dress – Next
Navy tights – New Look
Navy patent shoes – Magrit (outlet mall)
Red belt – Mall market stall

Total Est. Cost £67

MyLook Research

Last night I was invited to take part in some research for MyLook, the community website of New Look. Travel expenses were paid and they were offering £40 for participating. It was in Leeds, an hour and a half and well, £40 is £40. So I went along and was joined by 4 other ladies (2 had travelled from Manchester) to discuss the MyLook site, New Look and our shopping and online habits in general. It was good to meet new people and sitting around talking about shopping and fashion and getting paid for it? My idea of a dream come true! I would definitely be up for partaking in something similar should the opportunity arise in the future.

Outfit: Brown, Black & Purple

This evening I am going to take part in some research for New Look. I am a member of the My Look website and was invited to take part through that. It’s going to be a long day; I won’t get home until around 8pm, so I need to be comfortable.
I am still trying to love my hair up, but I can’t wait for my hair appointment tomorrow afternoon when I can get it shaped again and have my front bits cut short. Also, it will be the first time ever I will be able to see what the hairdresser is doing as I usually have to take off my glasses so they don’t get in the way.

Black/Purple/Grey/Brown Argyle sweater – Next Tall
Brown cord trousers – Tall Girls
Purple scarf – Claire’s
Black faux suede boots – Priceless Shoes

Total Est. Cost £51

Outfit: Choir Practice

There was no heating on in the church last night so we all stayed bundled up in coats and scarves. I wished I had added another layer underneath my sweater. This tank top is very versatile – I’ve worn it 3 different ways over Sunday and Monday.
My eyebrow appointment was later than I thought so in the end I had time to go home and change and walk into the village.

Purple tank – Long Tall Sally
Black polo neck – Long Tall Sally
Jeans – Next (charity shop)
Black faux suede OTK boots – Matalan

Total Est. Cost £66.50

This Week I Will Be Mostly…

…wearing contact lenses!
…reading the March issue of US Cosmopolitan
…watching The Princess Bride
…listening to Up All Night by Take That
…eating out at Wetherspoon’s on Wednesday
…shopping for nothing

Outfit: Teal & Purple

I’m getting my eyebrows waxed this afternoon so I may end up regretting the choice of such a short skirt! However, I do have leggings on rather than tights and I am still seeing women walking around wearing leggings as trousers (never a good look, ladies).

Teal dress, shortened – Florence + Fred at Tesco (charity shop)
Purple tank – Long Tall Sally
Black leggings – New Look Tall
Grey faux suede OTK boots – Priceless Shoes
Necklace – Scope
Earrings – Primark

Total Est. Cost £52

Outfit: Church On Sunday

I got up and went to church this morning. On the way home I stopped off and did the Tesco shopping. The checkout lady said I looked very glam, had I been to an event? This afternoon I changed into skinny jeans and riding boots and washed my car in the sunshine.

Black jacket – Long Tall Sally
Turquoise shrug – Dorothy Perkins
Purple tank – Long Tall Sally
White t – New Look Tall
Jeans – Tall Girls
Purple faux suede booties – Priceless Shoes
Turquoise leather belt (on jeans) – H&M

Turquoise flower - Claire's

Turquoise necklace - Dorothy Perkins

Total Est. Cost £130